mardi, mai 25, 2010

Rangmalla. Sonepur Mela


Rangmalla, the elephant, trying to catch the plastic bag of a pilgrim in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela.
www.claude-renault.fr

Puja. Sonepur. Bihar


Faithful making offerings to a lingam on Kali ghat during the Sonepur Mela.
www.claude-renault.fr

Elephants. Sonepur Mela


A Mahout waiting for customers during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
www.clauderenault.fr

Bath. Sonepur Mela



Pilgrims taking their Holy bath in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
www.claude-renault.fr

Goats. Sonepur Mela.



Goats are also on sale during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
www.claude-renault.fr

lundi, janvier 18, 2010

Elephant. Sonepur Mela. Bihar



Samastipur, a 4 years old baby elephant being decorated by his Mahout Sunder Prasad, during the Sonepur Cattle fair. www.claude-renault.fr

Bath. Sonepur Mela. Bihar



Pilgrims bathing in the Gandak river on Kartik Purnima day during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar www.claude-renault.fr

Rangmalla. Sonepur. Bihar



Rangmalla, a 30 year old elephant being cleaned up in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar. www.claude-renault.fr

Sadhu. Sonepur Mela. Bihar



Sri Maitresa Sharma was a 28 years old Sadhu from Banauli, Bihar. When he died, his brother decided he would come to Sonepur to do the ceremony and throw the body in the Gandak river on Kartik Purnima day, as a Sadhu can't be cremated. We drove the body in the middle of the river before letting him go. In the background, a fisherman and Kali ghats. www.claude-renault.fr

Ceremonial. Sonepur Mela. Bihar



Sri Maitresa Sharma was a 28 Years old Sadhu from Banauli, Bihar. When he died, his brother decided he would come to Sonepur to do the ceremonial and throw the body in the Gandak river on Kartik Purnima day, as a Sadhu can't be cremated.

Pilgrims. Sonepur Mela. Bihar



A pilgrim during his bath in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela. www.claude-renault.fr

Pilgrims. Sonepur. Bihar



Pilgrims on the banks of the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela. www.claude-renault.fr

Puja. Sonepur. Bihar



Women doing a Puja on Kartik Purnima day during the Sonepur cattle fair. At the same time another one is doing her laundry and an elephant is being cleaned up. Too bad a train isn't crossing the bridge at the same time!! www.claude-renault.fr

Rangmalla. Sonepur. Bihar



Nayeem-Ud-Din, the caretaker of Rangmalla, a 30 years old elephant from Chapra village in sale at the Sonepur mela, Bihar. He had to take Rangmalla to take her bath in the Gandak river twice a day during the 3 weeks long fair. www.clauderenault.fr

Devotion. Sonepur. Bihar



Pilgrims bathing in the Gandak river on Kartik Purnima day in Sonepur, the beginning of a 3 weeks animal fair in this little village of Bihar, thousands of pilgrims and visitors are gathering there. Impressive. www.claude-renault.fr

lundi, juin 15, 2009

Nuns. Bodghaya


Nuns praying around the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.
For Buddhists, Bodhgaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodhgaya, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

jeudi, décembre 11, 2008

Prayer. Bodhgaya


A Buddhist woman qietly praying in near the entrance of the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya. For Buddhists, Bodhgaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. It is famous for being the place of Gautama Buddha's attainment of nirvana (Enlightenment).

lundi, décembre 01, 2008

Praying. Bodhgaya


A monk praying in front of the Boddhi tree in Bodhgaya

mardi, septembre 16, 2008

Bodhi Tree. Bodhgaya


Praying under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya

Nuns. Bodhgaya

Monk. Bodhgaya


A monk circling the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya

mercredi, août 20, 2008

Sadhu. Bodhgaya


A sadhu walking around the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.

lundi, août 18, 2008

Walking. Bodhgaya


At night , walking around the Mahabodhi temple

vendredi, août 15, 2008

Mahabodhi Temple. Bodhgaya


The Mahabodhi Temple is a famous temple standing tall at 54 mts. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this temple has been renovated over the years. It enshrines a large golden Buddha, and is encompassed by an ancient railing, dating back to 100 BC. See also the famous Bodhi Tree where Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, and the Vajrasana or throne, where Buddha sat.

mercredi, mars 28, 2007

A Nice man. Patna


We shared a moment sitting together during a shower, a lot of rain..

mercredi, décembre 13, 2006

Look ... Patna

Deep inside. Patna


Portrait of the previous woman you see going away from the river Ganges.
I was walking alongside the Ganges in Patna, where all the women were doing their laundry..
That one was a bit curious about the camera... She came to look inside..
Another nice moment. Patna in the state of Bihar is a very friendly city.

Laundry. Patna

Thinking....Patna

Back home from the market . Patna

mardi, novembre 14, 2006

Saddhu. Patna.


A sleepy saddhu at the door of a small temple in Patna. The Saddhu tradition has a long history. It consists of renouncing
worldly ties in pursuit of higher values of life. Ideally a sadhu lives in the society but is detached from its pleasures and pains.

Saddhus typically survive on bhiksha (alms) provided by families, and on natural resources, and they spend much of
their time in meditation.

lundi, novembre 13, 2006

Thums up. Patna


A picture taken in Patna, the capital of the state of Bihar. Temperature was going up very fast,
and this rickshaw driver was having a well earned rest. Difficult light that day.

"Thums" Up is a national drink, with a taste close to the one of Coke, a bit better for me and a lot cheaper..
Patna is a very interesting town with no tourists at all, so it's really quiet for us travelling there..

samedi, novembre 11, 2006

From the top of the Granery. Patna

Death. Patna


A corpse on the side of one of Patna's main road waiting to be brought up to the cremation center on the banks of the Sacred Ganges.

jeudi, novembre 09, 2006

Ferry. Patna


People waiting for the ferry to cross the river Ganges...

Photography. Patna


And the result is pretty good after 5 minutes.
I did it for me.

Take my picture. Patna....

Rickshaw driver. Patna

mercredi, novembre 08, 2006

Saddhu. Patna


A saddhu saluting me. he was sitting in a temple alongside the sacred Ganges river

Laundry day. Bodhgaya


A woman doing her laundry in Bodhgaya. The place is near a river next to the former palace.

River Crossing. Bodhgaya

Sujata Temple. Bodhgaya


Two man elegantly resting at the foot of a tree, near the entrance of the Sujata temple, outside of Bodhgaya.
Bodhgaya is the place where the Buddha attained enlightment..

A Nun meditating. Bodhgaya

mardi, novembre 07, 2006

Consultation. Bodhgaya


A man consulting in Bodhgaya.

I shot this image having in mind a picture from Henri Cartier Bresson shot in 1947.
It was actually the picture of an Astrologer in Bombay, shot in the same way, the writings being on the right side though...

Buddha. Bodhgaya


A sculpture of Buddha shot inside the cave where he meditated for 7 years.

Praying. Bodhgaya